Elastic tire for wheels.



A. UMLAUP & K. BHM. BLASTIG TIRE PoR WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED I'EB.3,1908.

906,834. 4 Patented Dec. 15, 1908- 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l Hall/z azz L Y MaJ/(J9 ELASTI@ TIRE FOR WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED 1112.3. 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908 2 SHEETS-SHEET -2.

AUGUST UMLAUF AND KALMAN BHM, OF VIP-1N NA, AUSTRIA-H[.TNGARY.,`

ELASTIC TIRE FOR WTIEELS.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Bec. 15, 1995i.

Application led February 3, 1908. Serial No. 414,068.

To all whom, it 'may concern.'

Be it lnown that we, Anous'r` UMLAUF and KALMAN Boi-in, subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, both residing)y at Vienna, A.ustria-Irlungary, have invented certain new and useful ,improvements in Elastic Tires for lVheels, of which the following is a specification.

' The present invention relates to improvements in vehicle tires, and it has for its object primarily to provide a tire of this character which ernbodies resilient cushions which are coinposed'of spring elements the elasticity of which is sntiicient to sustain the normal strains and vibrations, and such spring elements are so constructed as to forni spaces to contain a filler, the latter being composed preferably of a mass of elastic material, the filler acting lien the spring is subjected to an abnormal pressure, as a substantially rigid inass which completely vfills the space provided in each spring` elenient and thereby prevents injurious coinpression of the cushion, although the filler will permit normal action of the spring element-s. s

A nother object of the invention is to provide improved cushions of this character-l which `comprise sets of radially superposed spring plates the combined elasticity of which alfords the requisite resilience for the wheel, these superposed spring plates forining spaces to contain the elastic filler.

AV further object of the invention is .to provide a vehicle tire of this character wherein the cushions are composed of a plurality of segmental sections which encircle the periphery of the wheel, these sections cooperating so as to retain one .another in proper position upon the wheel, and their separate or individual formation enables them to be readily mounted and .detached frointhe wheel for the purposes of repair.

To these and other ends, the invention consists 1n certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the

novel features being pointed out particularly in the elainis at the end of the specification.

In the accoinl'ianying drawing: Figure 1 represents a section of a wheel taken in the plane of rotation thereof, showing a tire section constructed in accordance with the present invention, the cushion being coinposed of a series of snpcrposed spring plates between which the elastic fillers are interposed; Fig, 2 represents a transverse sec tion on the line ifi-B of Fig. 1; Fig. represents a cross section of the riin of a wheel equipped with an elastic tire as shown in Fig. l; and Fig. .et is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing another forni of the ine vention.

Similar parts are designated by the saine i' ,le1eiiee characters in the several views.

ln that forni of the invention shown in Figs. l, E/L and i5, 2 represents the riin of a wheel the peripheryof which is preferably flat to forni a seat for the cushion elements, and a pair of retainii'ig flanges 3 are arranged at the opposite sides ofthe wheel riin and are retained in proper position by one or niore transverse bolts 4.

ln the present instance, the tire is coin-V posed of a series of individual sections which are arranged around the periphery of the wheel and between the lateral retaining flanges tl'iereon. In. that form of the invention shown in flfigs. 1 to 8, inclusive, each tire eleinent composed of an outer curved plate l which serves as a tread surface and for this purpose it niay be provided with studs 5 whereby the requisite traction may be obtained. Between this tread surface and the periphery of the wheel is arranged afset of superposed cushions, those shown in the present instance being' snperposed radially and each cushion is composed of a pair of spring 4plates 13, the spring` plates in the present'. instance extending in -parallel relation and are spaced radially to forni spaces to contain the elastic Eller. The opposite ends of each pair of spring plates bear upon one another through the medium of rockers 17 and 18, these rockers being,` arranged on proximate faces of each pair of the plates and their engaging surfaces are preferably rounded so as to permit relative bending of the plates, and screws or bolts 19 pass through the respective ends of each pair of plates and throng-h the rochers and thereby tive displacement thereof, although these screws or bolts have a suiiiciently loose fit as to permit the necessary yielding of the plates. The cushions formed by each pairof spring plates are connected at intermediate points by'webs 14 which may be riveted or otherwise secured in osition, and the connection thus provided etween the cush- .ions of each tire element serves co-retain the several superposed cushions in proper cooperative relation'.

The outermost spring plate is connected to the tread portion l of the tire element by means of' the tapered or wedge-shaped vention, a space is formed within each cush-y ion and also between the cushions of each set, and a similar space will be for-med between the outermost cushion and the tread surface. Thesespaces contain fillers 6 which fillers are preferably elastic and maybe com posed of particles of cork, india rubber, tow and other suitable material having a jellylike binder. These fillers completely fill the spaces between` the spring plates andvthereby prevent excessive strain of the springs owing to the fact that the iillers are confined with-- in the spaces provided for them, and when the springs are fully compressed, the fillers are incapable of further compression and thereby a'ct substantially as rigid bodies. A

bolt f serves to retain the vtire sections uponthe wheel.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, each tire element consists of a curved tread plate la within which isinclosed a series of bowed or archedlshaped spring plates 7 which are arranged in pairs, each pair of plateshaving their concave sides placed together to form spaces within which the fillers 8 of elastic material are contained. Each pair of spring plates in this instance forms a resilient cushion,'the cushions being superposed radially upon. one another, andl their convex sides which are arranged opposite to one another are connected together by means of rivets 9 or other suitable devices. The convex side of the outermost cushion is also secured to the inner side'of the tread plate lEL by a rivet l0 or other suitable means.

At the opposite ends of each tire element 4 are arranged rabbeted connecting members 4X, the rabbeted member of one tire element having an overlapping engagement with that upon the next adjacent tire element and thereby providing means for transmitting undue strains fromione. tire element to the affords the requisite resilience and, moreover, the strain is so distributed among the cushions-as to prevent injury thereto. By filling the spaces formed within or between the cushions of each set with an elastic material, the springs are so reinforced as to enable-them to resist undue strains without liability of breakage. Moreover, the connection between theseveral tire elements is such as to permit the proper compression of the .several elements and, when undue strain is imposedupon one of the tire elements, such connection will vtransmit the,

strain to the uadjacent elements. By forniing .th 're of individual sections or ele- Aments, the cushions are rendered readily accessible forthe `purposes of repair or renewal.l i

"We claimu as our invention:

l. An elastic tire for vehicle Wheels coinprising sets of superposed cushions, each cushion embodying a pair of spring plates constructed and arranged to `form fillin spaces between them and having their ends arranged to ,bear upon one another, each cushion being connected vintermediately to the intermediate portion of an adjacent cushion of the same set, and a filler of elastic material contained in the said space provided in each cushion.

2. An elastic tire for vehicle wheels comprising a plurality of sections adapted to lit the periphery of a wheel, each section comprising a'set of radially superposed spring plates lying in planes transverse to the plane of the tire, and bodies of elastic lling maj terial arrangedvin thespaces between the spring plates and serving to sustain abnormal strains imposed on the spring plates.

An elastic tire for vehicle wheels comprisinga plurality ,of sections adapted to fit the peripheryof a wheel, each section come, prisin'g a set of superposed parallel spring plates, webs attached to intermediate 4portions .of adjacent plates to' connect the latter 1n pairs, bearing devices interposed between the opposing faces at the ends of the conl set our hands in presence of two subscribing tiguous plates of each pair, said bearing Witnesses. devices having curved coperating faces, I means for connecting said devices and permitting limited relative movement thereof, and bodies of elastic material interposed between the said plates.

ln testimony whereof we have hereunto AUGUSTa UMLAUF. KALMAN BOHM.

Witnesses JOSEF RUBARGH, ROBERT W. HEINGARTNER 

